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How can you tell if someone is a great leader? They always want to know more. Theyre interested in mastery of a subject or skill. They ask great questions. And, as they find out more, they sometimes change their mind. Theyre a learner. But these days, most CEOs and other leaders take the opposite approach. They think of themselves as knowers. They appear to have all the answers. Thats bad for them, their direct reports, and the organizations they lead. That insight comes from researcher and author Brené Brown and Wharton professor and author Adam Grant. The two behavior experts had an open-ended discussion about the nature of courageous leadership during a recent episode of Grants ReThinking podcast. Being a learner seems to have fallen out of favor in recent years, Brown observed. Thats not going to serve us right now, she said. When I talk to senior leaders all over the world, theyre saying, Boy, its really problematic when people come in and they act like they know everything. What Im looking for are candidates who have exquisite questions and are really hungry to solve the problem. And so I think we have to shift the thinking there a lot. Great leaders ask great questions Both Brown and Grant believe that asking the right questions is a powerful leadership skill thats much more important than knowing all the answers. If I go into an organization, Ill spend three weeks just asking questions, Brown said. Ill look at a CEO and say, Whats on your heart and mind? If you sit up straight in bed at 4 oclock in the morning, what are you worried about?’ Its important to ask these sorts of questions when dealing with your employees, as well as your potential customers, investors, or company leadership, Grant added. So many people, when they try to motivate someone, they project their own motivations onto them, as opposed to saying, If I want to motivate you, Ive got to know what you value,’ he said. Once you get answers to your questions, the most important next step is what Brown calls the playback. You repeat back the answer you heard and ask if you have it right. Its vital for two reasons. First, you may not have heard everything correctly. This gives you a chance to correct anything you misunderstood and catch anything you may have left out. Just as important, that question lets you build a connection with the other person. Research shows that in hostage situations, whether people live or die often comes down to two words, she explained. The goal is for the hostage negotiator to repeat back what the hostage taker says, and for the hostage taker to say, Thats right. ‘Hardwired to Be Seen and Heard’ If it happens, that simple exchange improves the odds of survival for both the hostages and the hostage taker, Brown said. As human beings, we are neurobiologically hardwired to be seen and heard. Its another reason why asking the right questions, and being willing to listen, learn new information, and even change your mind are some of the most important skills a leader can have. Theres a growing audience of Inc.com readers who receive a daily text from me with a self-care or motivational microchallenge or tip. Often, they text me back and we wind up in a conversation. (Want to know more? Its easy to try it out and you can easily cancel anytime. Heres some information about the texts and a special invitation to a two-month free trial.) Many of my subscribers are entrepreneurs or business leaders. They know how important it is to always keep learning throughout their careers. Knowing how to ask the right questions and then repeat back the answers is a good place to start. Minda Zetlin This article originally appeared on Fast Companys sister publication, Inc. Inc. is the voice of the American entrepreneur. We inspire, inform, and document the most fascinating people in business: the risk-takers, the innovators, and the ultra-driven go-getters that represent the most dynamic force in the American economy.
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Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, a once-loyal supporter of President Donald Trump who has become a critic, said Friday she is resigning from Congress in January. Greene, in a more than 10-minute video posted online, explained her decision and said shes always been despised in Washington, D.C., and just never fit in. Greenes resignation followed a public fallout with Trump in recent months, as the congresswoman criticized him for his stance on files related to Jeffrey Epstein, along with foreign policy and healthcare. My message to Georgias 14th district and America.Thank you. pic.twitter.com/tSoHCeAjn1— Marjorie Taylor Greene (@mtgreenee) November 22, 2025 Trump branded her a traitor and wacky and said he would endorse a challenger against her when she ran for reelection next year. She said her last day would be January 5, 2026. The White House did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment Friday night. Greene had been closely tied to the Republican president since she launched her political career in 2020. In her video, she underscored her longtime loyalty to Trump except on a few issues, and said it was unfair and wrong that he attacked her for disagreeing. Loyalty should be a two-way street and we should be able to vote our conscience and represent our districts interest, because our job title is literally representative, she said. Greene swept to office at the forefront of Trump’s Make America Great Again movement and swiftly became a lightning rod on Capitol Hill for her often beyond-mainstream views. As she embraced the QAnon conspiracy theory and appeared with white supremacists, Greene was opposed by party leaders but welcomed by Trump. He called her a real WINNER! Yet over time she proved a deft legislator, having aligned herself with then-GOP leader Kevin McCarthy, who would go on to become House speaker. She was a trusted voice on the right flank, until McCarthy was ousted in 2023. While there has been an onslaught of lawmakers from both parties heading for the exits ahead of next falls midterm elections, as the House struggles through an often chaotic session, Greene’s announced retirement will ripple throughout the ranksand raise questions about her next moves. By Michelle L. Price and Lisa Mascaro
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E-Commerce
The gap between the release of the movie musicals Wicked: Part I and Wicked: For Good feels like the longest intermission ever. Eager fans had to wait a year before seeing the storys conclusion, which premieres November 21. The creative team behind Wicked claims to have tried to condense the plot down to just one film, but an overabundance of material led to the decision to split it into two. Financial considerations also likely came into play as two films will make more money than one. As fans celebrate Wicked: For Goods release week, let’s get you up to speed on everything you need to know, including projected box-office figures. Whos in the movie? Since Part I and For Good were shot back-to-back, many actors are reprising their roles. Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande lead the way as former besties Elphaba and Glinda. Sexiest Man Alive Jonathan Bailey smolders as Prince Fiyero. Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Marissa Bode, and Ethan Slater all return as the Wizard, Madame Morrible, Nessarose, and Boq, respectively. There are also some new faces in the sequels cast. Young Glinda is played by 8-year-old Scarlett Spears. Colman Domingo lends his voice to the Cowardly Lion. And Bethany Weaver rocks the iconic blue gingham dress as Dorothy. Are there new songs? Expanding the musical into two movies gave composer Stephen Schwartz the opportunity to write new music. Elphaba (Erivo) and Glinda (Grande) each have solos that were not featured in the original stage production. Early on in the film, Erivo belts out No Place Like Home.” Much later on, Grandes vocal chops are on full display in “The Girl in the Bubble. Both songs serve to flesh out the characters story arcs. Several other songs, such as “Wonderful,” have been expanded. Do you need to see the original Wicked? The blunt answer is yes. Wicked: Part I is the first half of the stage musical. It would be hard to follow if you have never seen the beginning of the story. Plus, the first installment received 10 Academy Award nominations and two Oscar trophiesfor Best Costume Design and Best Production Design. (Director Jon M. Chu was notably snubbed in the Best Director category.) If you need to get up to speed quickly, YouTube has plenty of recaps. What are critics saying? While award season is not yet upon us, critics have given the film mixed reviews leaning toward the positive. As of this writing, the film had a Tomatometer score of 72% and a Popcornmeter score of 97% on Rotten Tomatoes. Vultures Bilge Ebiri liked the second film better than the first. He argued that the conclusion was more somber, more focused, more human than the first film. And it brings the Wicked cycle to a surprisingly satisfying conclusion, at least for now. The BBCs Caryn James agreed wholeheartedly. This latest installment is more captivating than the last and enjoyable to watch throughout. David Rooney of The Hollywood Reporter was particularly moved by Grandes performance of the new song. Grande floods it with so much feeling that it humanizes and enriches the character and, by extension, the whole movie, he mused. Not everyone was so enthusiastic. William Bibbiani from TheWrap called it quite bad because of the plot holes failing to explain its Wizard of Oz origins. The APs Jake Coyle said the film just doesnt delight. Even though both Bibbiani and Coyle did not enjoy the film as a whole, they agreed that the actors gave amazing performances. What are the box-office predictions? Expectations are high for Wicked: For Good. The first film grossed more than $758 million worldwide, according to Box Office Mojo. Its debut weekend alone brought in more than $112 million and set the record for the best opening ever for a movie based on a Broadway musical. Deadline predicts that the global opening weekend for Wicked: For Good will exceed its predecessor and bring in around $200 million. Comcast-owned Universal Pictures, which is releasing the film, is projecting a more conservative estimate of $125 million, Variety reports, adding that the movies budget was $150 million. The long interlude has allowed audiences to build up anticipation for the sequel. Time will tell whether they follow the yellow brick road back to movie theaters this holiday season.
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